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Thrush?

I'm not sure what a case of thrush on my nipples would feel like or look like. Can some breastfeeding moms who have had this please share? My baby is 8 weeks old and my nipples and a couple of millimeters of the areola are quite pink/reddish than the remaining areola and are tender when my bra is placed against them and even sometimes when I towel dry myself after a shower - they just feel "funny". There are no white spots on my nipples but I do get scabs/bleeding occassionally. I definately have Vasospasm of my R nipple that is very uncomfortable after my son feeds. The nipple turns white then red over and over. My son does have a whiteish strip down the middle of his tongue but this just looks like where the milk passes over his tongue. He does not have any other white intraoral areas that I can see. Maybe I should go see a lactation consultant. Thanks for any info I can get.

Re: Thrush?

Hi there,
Just responded to your other post RE: vasospasms. I dealt with thrush in the early days as well... DD had no symptoms. I had very bright pink nipples and stabbing pain when she nursed - it felt like her mouth was full of needles - and shooting pains throughout both breasts. The pain would continue, for the entire time between nursing sessions, to the point where even drying myself off with a towel or the water hitting my chest in the shower was enough to make me cry. I also had a couple of scabs that wouldn't heal.

Dr. put DD on nystatin and me on lotrimin (OTC) for a couple of weeks, no real improvement. (Both my OBGYN and DD's pediatrician were hesitant to even discuss thrush, for some odd reason.) Finally I broke down crying in front of an LC and she gave me the info on Dr. Newman's All Purpose Nipple Ointment (APNO), which ultimately saved me.

Re: Thrush?

Motherlove make a product called diaper rash and thrush which can be used as a nipple cream. There herbs used it help fight yeast infections and thrush. Not only is it very soothing, but healing as well. good luck.